Union moves against exploitation

To ensure business vendors do not exploit students on services, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) held a parley with stalls owners to agree on prices of items.

The meeting was held at the instance of the Director of Welfare, George Aniekeme.

Addressing the vendors, the Task Force chairman, Mr Dominick Asuquo, who also represented the school authorities, told the vendors the union leaders met with management with a proposal to fix the price of food at N100 per plate. “But, the management, after serious deliberation decided it should go for N150,” he said.

Asuquo said management decried the high prices of goods, citing the electric bulb, which is sold off-campus at N50 but given to students at a higher price as an example. He said the authorities has approved the proposal for price reduction, which was released by the Welfare Director’s office. He added: “We are not here to negotiate; the price list has been approved by the university authority.”

Comparing prices, George said a plate of any food with a sachet of water, which was being sold at higher amount to UNICAL students is sold at N150 at the College of Health Technology, Calabar and N100 to students of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO). He said all the union wanted was to harmonise the prices with those obtainable in institutions in the region.

He threatened that “something will definitely happen should you fail to comply with our price list.” George said vendors should not place the same prices on items being sold outside the campus with the ones being sold in the university. He emphasised that commodities must be cheaper at students’ hostels.

To ensure compliance, the Welfare Director displayed a copy of a sealed stamp to the vendors, saying his office was ready to close down any stall that did not comply with the new prices. He cited other instances when commodities were sold at higher price to students.

He read out the new prices of goods to the vendors. Going by the list, hair cut is now N50 as against N100, shaving is fixed to be N30 against N50, Internet service is now N100 for an hour as against N150, a plate of food with sachet water is N150 as against N200, 35cl of Coca-Cola bottle is N50 as against N60, passport photograph is now N250 as against N400 among others.

“Other items not captured in this list must have 10 per cent decrease from what is obtainable outside as constant check will be conducted to ensure compliance,” the memo reads in part.

In response, four vendors spoke on behalf of their colleagues. Anieka Jona, who spoke for soft drinks and snacks sellers, complained that before the SUG came up with the new prices, low sale had been recorded by the merchants.

She said: “I don’t know how the new price list will affect our sales but some female students now buy fridges and sell drinks in the hostels. This is a very big challenge for us.”

George responded that the vendors should help to identify such students, re-affirming that accommodation in the university’s halls of residence did not give students freedom to trade.

Ugo Chukwu, the owner of a popular eatery called Yugobite, who spoke for food vendors, said the union should have negotiated the prices with the vendors before imposing it on them. He said price reduction would not affect the quality of food but may affect the quantity, which could make students consume food up to N200.

George responded that the food sellers should visit the College of Health Technology to find out where the vendors on the campus buy their raw food materials.

Godwin Udofia, speaking for barbers, said N50 for hair cut was not feasible because of the high cost of fuel and rent. Responding, Asuquo said the barbers should not complain because the electricity in the hostels was stable.